


I'm Still A Tea

by skeedoodle



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Double Trouble feels guilty, Double Trouble has feelings, Found Family, Gen, Non-Binary Adora, and all the other Etherian princessess, tea metaphors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27577132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeedoodle/pseuds/skeedoodle
Summary: Adora has a lot of questions about gender, and decided not to wait long after she gets back to ask Double Trouble. They're a bit confused, but excited to help.Alternatively titled: "oh jesus you’re a lesbian AND you're having a gender crisis? right after you just got back from space? pick a struggle, adora."
Relationships: Adora & Double Trouble (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	I'm Still A Tea

Ever since Adora defeated Horde Prime, Double Trouble’s life has changed. Not too significantly, but their life has grown less “evil”. They did less shapeshifting, and spent most of it at gatherings with the other princesses. It’s been two years, and they live outside of Bright Moon in this secluded small ranch house they fixed up during all their new free time. It wasn’t much, but they didn’t need a super lavished place. An upgrade, however, was this new person they were seeing. This cutie who came into their life while they helped the Rebellion provide relief in captured villages, and refused to them alone. 

Currently, the reptilian thespian was texting the idiot, trying to figure out if they’d be good enough to teach a theatre or music class. Was teaching even for them? They’d have to think about it and get back to their cutie. 

Tossing their head back, they tried to think of what to do. They tire of fixing their house, as the more they worked at the ranch house, the more seems to be fixed. No get togethers or meetings were scheduled for today. . . 

A groan escaped their lips. They hated this. The problem with post war living is that there are days that are jam-packed with things to do—meetings on Adora and crew in space, drum circles, keeping the idea of Prince Peekablu being alive, having the motivation to fix their house—and others, where it is so silent that Double Trouble could hear a tumbleweed from where they used to reside in the Crimson Waste. 

At least when everyone was fighting on Etheria there was drama and money—

No, no. They can’t think like that anymore, they were a changing soul. Or trying to be. 

Just when they thought they couldn’t take the silence anymore, there was a knock at the door. It was hard taps, bordering on an excited banging. Like there was great news. They leaped up from their bean bag chair, and skipped to open the door. They were greeted with a familiar blonde, but she was alone. There was something amiss about her—she wasn’t nervous to talk to them, no, it was something that was happily terrifying to her—and it presented itself through her messy hair and the bruises she had yet to treat. 

“Hey, Double Trouble! Glad you’re home!” she rushed forward, smothering them into a hug. Her growing muscles and her late adjustment 

“Good to see you’re still alive,” they choked, reaching up to pat the hero on the back. Finally pulling away, they wore a nervous smile. 

“The other princesses said you lived just outside of Bright Moon. I thought they were lying. . . You seemed like you didn’t want anything to do with us after Horde Prime was removed,” she spoke quickly, like she had a time limit to talk with the green shapeshifter. Everything, when they were last seen working together, was quick because the planet’s life was at stake. But now, things were different. Slower. Adora had never stopped, impatiently awaiting her next fight or to provide relief, so she didn’t think Double Trouble would either. Something about a “theatre lesbian” or something close. 

“Ugh, it’s not like I hate the princesses, or anything. Being around them was the most drama I ever was apart of. . . Would you like some tea?” Despite not knowing what that was, Adora nodded. It gave her more time to talk with them, which she so desperately needed to do. Alone, surprisingly. No Catra, no Glimmer, and, most surprisingly, no Bow. Just. . . Herself. She didn’t even tell them what she needed to talk about. they wouldn’t understand. Or, it was too complicated to say. 

“Come sit down, Adora,” their voice, soft, knocked her from her thoughts before they could get overwhelming. 

“As I was saying, I didn’t think the princesses would want me near them after the war was over. I caused a lot of drama for them, gave a bad rep for shapeshifters, and they were already uncomfortable around Hordak being free, so. . .” Adora’s blue stare made them nervous about being open. Their ears pointed down, looking away, “Sorry, too many sessions with Perfuma.” 

Adora sniffed the hot tea in her cup before taking a sip. She didn’t like the taste, so they pushed the dish of sugar cubes closer. She winds up dumping them all in. Anything to get the leafy taste out of the tea. That came from a leaf. So, there was no real way to get the leafy taste out, just more sugary, but she wasn’t planning on drinking it all anyways. 

“Right. . . So, what did your ush over for? Surely you wanted to see how grown Frosta is, or how—” 

“I will, I just—” Adora looks into her tea. The sugar has melted down into the bottom. Her eyes, they match her now. She sees that, but her face—her body, her mind—sometimes lags behind. It doesn’t always click how she’s perceived. The clothes she’s been wearing doesn’t match how she feels, but she doesn’t even know what this _feeling_ is. “I _need_ to talk to you.” she states it through gritted teeth, and Double Trouble prepares themself to run away from Adora’s wrath. 

“We’re talking right now—” 

“No, no, no! Like,” she huffed, getting angry, “How did you _know_?!” 

Double Trouble leans away, her sudden anger and yelling the least of their problem. What they feared is that classic She-Ra rage. They had worked so hard to repair this house, and it would be a shame if Adora came back from outer space just to destroy it while talking in tongues. 

“How did I know what?” They asked, slowly, regaining their posture. 

“That you were non-binary?” Her voice falls, as well as her shoulders. Her fists, clenched, are shaking. She’s trying not to cry. 

“Oh, it’s that kind of t—” They jump out of their seat, grabbing Adora’s hands in their own. “Wait, you’re thinking you might be non-binary?” 

They smiled from ear to ear as the blonde hero nodded. “This is so exciting! I’ve never—” They regain their composure, sitting back down. This isn’t constructive or helpful—it’s Adora’s moment in the spotlight, not there’s to steal away. The reptilian adult clears their throat, their leg over the other, thinking. 

“For me,” they start, “it was super difficult. No one I ever talked to ever fully understood my point of view. It was mainly the shapeshifting that confused them. But you, you don't have that ability to be who you are whenever you want. You don't get to run.” 

The scared look on Adora's face had them backtracking. "What I mean is, I got to deny myself the truth of how I felt because I could change whatever I didn't like about me. It changes, too. You'll have to work on it to see what you do and don't like about yourself. And it goes beyond basic presentation, too, of course. It can go to pronouns, name changes, and some other more life-altering decisions.” 

“But, how did you know you weren't who you were born as?” 

“Are you confusing your body with your destiny? Because no matter how you look, darling, you're still within the realm of your destiny. It doesn't always change because you do.” Adora blinks, surprised at how good Double Trouble was at this whole “gender advice” thing. 

“So, I can still be She-Ra if, hypothetically, I'm not the ‘same old Adora’?” 

The reptilian thespian nodded, finally taking a sip out of their own cup of tea. It was lukewarm now, easy to digest. They added some honey. 

“Oh, I just thought of a good metaphor! Open your ears, this doesn't happen often!" They pushed their tea closer to the questioning hero. “Imagine, for a second, this tea, represents you. You are told—” 

“But I'm not—” 

“Shut up, this metaphor is good.” 

“Ahem. . . You are told and taught that you should be flavored with sugar—meaning you should represent femininely with typical girl things like dresses, makeup, and long hairstyles. However, your tea feels tainted with sugar, and you feel better flavored with honey—more masculine. Or, a bit of both honey and tea. Or, none at all. . . Are you any less of a tea?” 

It takes Adora a few minutes, letting their words bounce around her head until she gets it. And, suddenly, she cupped her mouth and started crying. Thai alarms Double Trouble—they’ve associated making people cry as a bad thing, as that's always how it's been. Their hand goes to Adora's free one, rubbing their thumb over her bruised knuckles until she's able to speak. 

“I’m still a tea. I’m still me, no matter the change?” 

They nod, and then they're pulled into an awkward hug, forced be in between the blonde's legs, all bent in a hug. Uncomfortable for them, but necessary for the blonde. She had gotten so touchy-feely after getting with Catra. 

Then, with the worst timing of all, three people teleported into their home, uninvited. It was only Glimmer, Bow, and Catra, so they didn't do anything more than gasp and huff, but the three seemed angry at this whole situation. Adora crying was the most upsetting to them. 

“No, guys, it's okay! Really, I—I’m still tea!” they all look over at Double Trouble, who's posture sinks. They reassured to tell the newly back space team later, now tired from being around all these emotions. Though, they had to admit, they were glad Catra was doing better. And, her hair was starting to grow back in. She was currently letting it down, but a cute ponytail was definitely in her future. Or, maybe they hope so. 

“Come on, let's go back to Bright Moon, Scorpia wanted to tell us something! We only came here because Adora was taking so long!” Glimmer said, allowing her taller blonde friend. The height difference was getting more dramatic. Even Bow was growing. Glimmer still looked the same height, but it's been a while since the thespian saw her, so it could be their eyes. 

“Tell me all about it tomorrow, m’kay? Bye then!” They started to clean up, but Catra shook her head. Maybe they could get some beauty sleep now that it was darker. Naps don't help them, they just distort their mind. 

“Idiot, obviously Scorpia needs all the princesses there.” 

Their reptilian eyes narrow. “Maybe you don't remember, kitten, but I am not a—” 

“Obviously, but Scorpia wants you there. So, put the watering can down, and let's go before we have to walk there!" Double Trouble out the china set down, and as soon as it was out of their hands, the feline was grabbing them by their wrist and pulling them toward Adora, Glimmer, and Bow. 

It was a weirdly positive vibe all around, like a warm fire to sleep next to, being all around them without any longer hate or distrust. Even if they felt they weren't worthy of forgiveness yet, they didn't say anything, they just allowed themself to be teleported back to the Bright Moon dining hall to hear Scorpia’s announcement. Double Trouble couldn't get over how everyone, even Mermista, was smiling. 

They wouldn't say it out loud, but they were really glad everyone was back safe and sound on Etheria. Even if they couldn't mess with them in the same way, it was nice to finally feel like they have genuine friends and family to surround themself with. Like a small family.


End file.
